Images of my decorations

 Hello my Belles,

Here are images I have shared on pinterest and instagram of my Shabby Nordic inspired Christmas decorations as promised. I hope you enjoy them.

ClarasHandMade Christmas decor 2014

Merry Christmas, God Jul, Bonne Noel!
Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade
Instagram: http://instagram.com/clarashandmade

Handmade winter wreath

Hello my belles,

Today is Saturday December 13 th 2014, and I went for a winter walk as it is so sunny and bright though it was minus 1 Celsius when I woke up.

Real ivy and some red berries

Today was the day for collecting foliage and pretty berries for making my door wreath. This traditionally has been my dad's job. This year we done it together.

Berries and pine cones

glitter twigs

The walk was fresh and the grass was still frozen in places even at two in the afternoon. In other places I was so scared of falling over as it was so muddy, the splotchy mud was up to my ankles! But thankfully I remained up right with the help for trees and a fence to hold on to.
So I collected wild ivy and red berries which will compliment the faux holly and silver glitter twigs I have.


I have faux holly as I know birds eat the berries so I didn't want to take wild holly away from the lovely birds I have around here. I have florists wire and a round straw base for making my wreath.

supplies: straw base, florists wire and collected ivy

To start I wrapped and tied on the ivy with the wire hiding the straw as best I could.

First layer of ivy

 I then filled in the gaps with the faux holly and stuffed again with the glitter twigs and pine cones I added a few jingle bells and voilà! This took about 20 minutes to make and remember imperfection is better than shop bought! Have you made you own wreath or Christmas decorations? Please share photos in the comments or tag me on instagram or twitter if you have I would love to see them.

getting there in my making

adding in the glitter twigs

almost done

c'est fini!

finshed article on my door!

Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade
Instagram: http://instagram.com/clarashandmade

Christmas decorations

Hello dear readers,

I am so happy right now I just took delivery of the most darling sparkly crochet stars. I bought them from CrochetPocket all the way in Latvia. They came quickly and well packaged and I got small gifts in the pack!

one of my darling tiny stars

When I first saw these I knew I wanted to string them together and make myself a lovely winter garland for my window. I will take down my summer garland, it should have come down at least a month ago but the weather is still mild for this time of year. My summer garland is made of twine with lace bows and jingle bells that tinkle in the breeze from the open window and they will be replaced with these little beauties. There will be no bells on this winter window decoration as there is no point, the window will feel no breeze in the cold months to make them sound.

my summer garland, simple and sweet

Here it is. Seven stars threaded and knotted on to twine, a job that takes mere minutes. I might add some lace like the summer one has. Or maybe some white pom-poms.
Handmade decorations simple or elaborate will always win over mass produced for me. Make your decor for winter as simple or as complicated as you like. From this you can see I prefer simple and delicate designs.

 stars threaded on twine

I still have another five stars that be threaded with cotton loops to hang up as tiny decorations on my tree as well. Plus I will be making my own winter door wreath with real foliage. I will show you this soon. Till then...


Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

Last of the summer wine...

Hello my lovelies,

Sorry I have not posted in so long I have been very busy with enjoying the summer sun. The summer has been a long warm one for me here at Hand Made towers which I have enjoyed very very much. Life is plodding along very comfortably as we move properly to Autumn, I have many joys and feel very lucky indeed. I practice counting my blessings very often as I think it keeps you young and happy.

Autumn leaves down by the mud flats along the Thames River

Now the leaves are turning over and the sun light hits us from a low angle, the clocks have changed and the nights are longer. Soon will be the time for fireworks and cosy blankets on knees with hot chocolate to drink and marshmallows to toast. I take great please in welcoming season changes.



Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

Doors...

Hello my lovelies, 

How are you? 

I have been fascinated by doors for quite some time. Where do they lead? Is it better through there? 
I admire the colours and features like letterboxes and knockers. 

Old church doors on a summers day 2014

A typical wood and glass 1930's door

A gorgeous pale blue door with lace and roses

I am in love with all these doors which are fairly local to where I live. The church doors are from a church from 1894 and they are weather beaten and in need of some water proofing but I adore the paleness of the wood in this condition. The white door is from a small bungalow that still has its original stain glass windows and gorgeous original features. The blue door pulled at my heart strings due to the lace and roses each side of it and the features of it rather than the colour. I just think it is so quaint and charming. Please feel free to pin these images and check out my other favourite doors at:
pretty-buildings-and-doors


Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

New items from me

Hello,

Just thought I would drop a quick post to show you about my shops new additions:

Vintage framed rose print

gold coloured shabby chic serving tray

White shabby chic wooden frame

I am very much attached to the tray, it is the most wonderful golden colour, I have taken quite a fancy to it myself and I very much have a thing for frames and you will know of if you follow me on Pinterest. The print is also darling. I can remember my grandmother having pictures like this hanging up when I was a child. I even have a framed photo of her in a matching frame to this one. I hope you like this small selection I have chosen to show you.



Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

Absence...

a trio of hoops from clarashandmade

Hey,

sorry for being gone for so long I have been without a laptop as my last one died on me fairly suddenly and blogging on a mobile phone is just no fun for me. I have also been suffering health wise. But now I am back and strong again. Just like summertime. Here in the East of England we are having a fantastic summer that seems to be going on and on. The colour of the leaves are slowly changing and autumn fruits are abundant but the temperatures are still high, we are due to have the warmest September since records began in 1659! I have been keeping busy in the garden and going for walks to pick fruits that grow wild around here. It has been such a pleasure to spend time outside with the sun warming me. I am getting back in to making again and will stocking the shop with more pretties soon. So please keep and eye on ClarasHandMade shop

heart decorations in white and shabby chic style

it is good to be back and blogging again. What have you been doing with your summer? What plans do you still have?

Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

Autumn 2014 is coming

I have had a cracking summer! My Etsy shop has been doing better and better, the day job is not being wholly horrid, and the weather has been absolutely marvellous. The last few summers have been very soggy and miserable. In contrast this one has seen temperatures over 25°c for many weeks on end, this coupled with being  close to the sea and family has been wonderful.

orange clouds, photo taken July 14 in my back garden. no filters.

Today has seen a drop in temperature and some heavy showers of rain, and to be honest it has been so nice to pull on a large snugly cardigan and lounge about this afternoon and put on a film and eat biscuits. I love summer I truly do, but Autumn is my favourite time of year. I am looking forward to cool mornings and nights where you can sleep without being too hot. Blackberry crumble and custard and other such lovely desserts, but you still get warm afternoons and lots of golden sunshine. I love the colours of Autumn, the golds, oranges and light browns of leaves turning colour and the stepping on them as they fall from the branches all crispy and crackly.

image is NOT my own and taken from Google image

What is your favourite season? and what do you like most about it?

Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

Crochet and doilies

Hello sweeties,

here are some lovely images for you to Pin for my lovely crochet doilies!
I find the intricate work in a piece of crochet amazing. They take patience and skill way beyond my means to create them and I admire the work greatly. I have admitted to you before that I can not crochet anything more than a chain and even then my stitches are not even. So I am ever grateful to those that can do this wonderful art form and I truly honoured to hold many such pieces in my possession at any one time.

a stunning ecru 3D doily

another 3D doily this time in white and with some sparkle brooches added for lustre

a white linen cut work example with a pink bloom and a Bible

click on bottom middle image to purchase this piece of lace

here is a link to my Pinterest crochet board with lots of other beautiful images and even some crochet tutorials, feel free to follow this or my other boards. But please pin kindly and do not copy my whole boards.

Lace

Here are some pretty photo's for you to enjoy of my latest purchase of lace and ribbon.

pure white lace the flower design on the right is my favourite
though I love them both

tiny off white rick rack, and champagne coloured nylon lace with
some gorgeous natural coloured scalloped edging

white cotton, perfect for using as a insert in a future project

bright white lace ribbon

If you have enjoyed this post you may want to look at (and maybe follow) my Linen and Lace board on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/Clarashandmade/linens-and-lace/

Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

Vintage pieces...

Just a collection of beautiful pictures of items in my possession at the moment...

Gorgeous metal vintage shoe trees

Pretty vintage tobacco tin

Blue Bird toffee tin 

Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

My day at the V & A...

On Tuesday 22 nd I was lucky enough to get a place via Pinterest UK ( http://www.pinterest.com/) at a wonderful craft afternoon held at the awesome venue that is the Victoria and Albert Museum in London at an event for The Handmade Fair (http://www.thehandmadefair.com/) doing paper crafts taught by the simply amazing Poppy Chancellor (http://poppychancellor.com/) please check out her website what she does with paper is amazing!!! She is a crafting wizard. The whole event was hosted by the simply divine Kirstie Allsopp who I had to tell how much I loved her. Yeah I played it massively cool (!) I mean that woman does many tv shows on crafts and Christmas plus vintage, which are all my loves and her cousin is Cath Kidston. I want to be her when I finally grow up, if I ever grow up.
I have never done any sort of paper crafting before, mainly because some one is getting hurt when I am trusted with a sharp object and by someone I mean me. Yeah I am that fool that will cut some hair off by accident or I will get blood every where by waving my scissors about. Shockingly this time I came out OK apart from the headache caused by concentrating so hard on not fluffing up in front of all these other amazing crafty peeps and awesome people. I mean how embarrassed would I have been to be bleed out in front of Craft Goddess Kirstie Allsopp?! I would have simply turned beetroot in colour and played down any accident even if my right hand was hanging off from the shame. Thankfully nothing like that happened even though there were 50 women in a room all with knives, ha ha. The afternoon was even more awesome as I got to meet up with Lizzie Sibley, Viktorija from andsmile and the lovely Lindsay from Wood, paper, scissors (https://www.facebook.com/woodpaperscissors.uk) who I met back in March with Etsy and Pinterest for a coffee morning.
We had a great couple of hours eating cake and carefully cutting and chatting, I so rarely get to make with anybody else, I am normally a silent and lone worker that it was actually a breath of fresh air to do it with other people, as well as the chat and to achieve so much. All the bunting will be used too decorate at the Handmade Fair later this summer so look out for my wonky pieces if you are going!

me carefully cutting and keeping my fingers away from the blade

two of my finished pieces of paper bunting, the circles were gits to do

The back of my head and Lindsay chatting with Kirstie

All the bunting we made!

Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

Buying (and keeping?) Vintage

So on the off chance I popped in to a charity shop the other day and saw the most incredible vintage wooden perpetual wall calendar!

Look!

I love love love this calendar!

It has lived a working life. I adore it. Herein lies my dilemma. I had bought this to sell on in my Etsy shop but the more research I have done on it and in the process of cleaning it I have totally fallen in love. What do I do? Do I list it and sell it and hope that one day in the future I will come across another like it? Or do I keep it even though it doesn't completely suit my current decoration theme? But with a few small tweaks I could make it work out. My heart is telling me to keep it, my head is saying sell it! There are not many of these around and the others I have seen I have never even battered an eyelid at. But this one has captured my heart and is pulling hard at my heart strings. But my head is telling me: sell it! The cold business voice is shouting "you bought this to sell to make money to help to buy your new car!" My heart is squelling 'Keeeep it, Clara it's pretty.'
Sigh.
I am so conflicted. I am writing this before I have even taken any photos of it. (The above image was added afterwards.) The battle of head and heart when you buy vintage pieces is always this hard especially when like me you buy pieces that you could see yourself owning. I think I will list it in my Etsy shop and if it hasn't sold buy the time the first advert has expired then I will keep it as we were destined to be together. Right?

Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade

Veggie Patch! 2014

I moved to the wonderful county of Essex eight or so months ago and I have a garden now rather than just a back yard with a scrap of dirt which is what is I had in London. Since I have moved I have bought some lovely flowers I also inherited some gorgeous specimens too, like the Passion flower and a Clematis. I finally have a space for a veggie patch. So on a whim I bought some new railway sleepers, can't use old ones on food stuffs (boooooo, I like old tatty ones). I filled it with home made compost and planted some, blue Sweet-peas to attract the bees over some spring onions, a couple of different lettuces and a row of Nasturtiums as you can eat the leaves and flowers on them. This joins my old sink filled with herbs and an aluminium bucket of mint so I am very very happy with my edible garden now.

Passion Flower

my unripe passion fruits

my mint in a bucket so it doesn't go wild!

So my Passion Flower is covered in unripe passion fruits, who has some ideas or recipes for me? I must have 45-50 fruits so far and the season is so young, please add any ideas for things I can make with them as it will be such a waste to pick them for the slugs to eat!



Take care
Love Clara x

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/clarashandmade
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClarasHandMade
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/clarashandmade